Remote mailbox management system and method

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems consistent with this invention manage a database of delivery destination information. Such methods and systems identify an item to be delivered to a destination; determine a batch of items for delivery having the item to be delivered to the destination; determine when the batch of items has been delivered: and update the database to indicate a delivery of the item destined to the destination after determining when the batch of items has been delivered.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to remotely managing a deliverydestination. More particularly, the invention may relate to methods andsystems for remotely managing a post office box.

[0003] 2. Background of the Invention

[0004] The United States Postal Service (USPS) has approximately 16million rented Post Office (PO) boxes. Typically, when mail arrives atthe post office for delivery to a rented PO box, a postal worker “cases”the mail (i.e. places the mail in the appropriate PO boxes) without anyfurther action. A conventional PO box renter (or customer) is unaware ofthe contents of the box until he or she personally drives to the postoffice, opens the box, and looks inside. The conventional PO box rentalcustomer must manage the PO box physically and in person.

[0005] There are several problems with conventional method of managingPO boxes. First, a customer wastes time and transportation costs eachtime he or she makes a trip to the post office and the PO box is empty.Similarly, the customer wastes time if the PO box contains only bulk or“junk” mail that the customer disposes of without reading or would havewaited to read at a later time. Unnecessary trips to the post officealso contribute to unpleasant post office congestion. Paradoxically,problems also occur when a customer elects not to visit the post officeto check the PO box if the PO box contains important time-sensitivemail, such as an overdue bill or a perishable item.

[0006] The USPS addressed some of the problems of PO box management whenit implemented its Phase 1 PO Box Information System. The Phase 1 systemprovided a Customer Mail Status Database to store PO box mail data. Thedatabase was updated whenever mail was cased at the post office. ThePhase 1 system allowed customers to access the database and determinewhether there was any mail in their PO box.

[0007] In the Phase 1 system, after mail was delivered to a post officeand mail clerks cased the mail, the mail clerks then used a ComputerTrack & Tracing bar code reader (“CTT wand”), with various scanningoptions, to collect mail status data. To do this, the CTT wand softwarehad to be designed with several scanning settings:

[0008] 1=Collect Data

[0009] 2=Transmit Data

[0010] 3=Correction

[0011] 4=Call at Window

[0012] When “accountable mail” (i.e. traceable mail, such as registeredmail and insured mail) was cased, the clerk set the CTT wand to option 4(“call at window”) and “wanded” the delivery PO box. When“non-accountable” mail was cased, the clerk set the CTT wand to option 1(“collect data”) and “wanded” each PO box not containing mail. Data wasrelayed from the CTT want via site telecommunication modems to theCustomer Mail Status Database. After data collection, the system coulddetermine which PO boxes contained mail.

[0013] The Phase 1 system also provided an interactive voice responseinterface for customers. From a remote location, PO box customers coulddial a local phone number to find out whether mail was available intheir PO box or at the “call window” (for accountable mail). A customercould also leave a voice message about their mail.

[0014] Phase 1 was tested in Springfield, Mass. in 1995 and 1996. Thesystem worked without problems, enabling customers to determine whetheror not their PO Box contained mail and whether they had accountable mailat the call window. The Phase 1 system, however, had several drawbacks,including an unacceptable increase in work hours caused by wanding thePO boxes. In the Phase 1 system, even when most PO boxes received nomail, the mail clerk was required to wand each individual “no-mail” boxwith the CTT wand. Another drawback was the paucity of informationavailable to PO Box customers—the Phase 1 system supplied only binarymail/no-mail information and binary call-at-window/don't-call-at-windowinformation. Customers still made unwanted trips to the Post Office whentheir boxes contained only “junk” mail. Yet another drawback was thelimited availability of expensive telephone lines. If several customerstried to check the status of their PO boxes at the same time, they mayget busy signals.

[0015] Accordingly, a need exists to improve remote management of POboxes. Systems and methods are needed to conveniently and efficientlyprovide customers with detailed information concerning items availablein their PO box. A need also exists to inform PO box customer that anitem is en route to their PO box. With this information, customers mayefficiently manage their PO box and avoid the problems normallyassociated with renting a PO box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Methods and systems consistent with this invention manage adatabase of delivery destination information. Such methods and systemsidentify an item to be delivered to a destination; determine a batch ofitems for delivery having the item to be delivered to the destination;determine when the batch of items has been delivered; and update thedatabase to indicate a delivery of the item destined to the destinationafter determining when the batch of items has been delivered.

[0017] Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictiveof the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of theinvention and together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0019]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the interconnection ofinformation servers and a PO box management server in a systemconsistent with the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating a specific interconnection ofvarious USPS information servers in a system consistent with the presentinvention;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary process for updating a PObox status database consistent with the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 4 is an exemplary PO box management web-site log-in screenconsistent with the present invention; and

[0023]FIG. 5 is an exemplary PO box management web-site informationscreen consistent with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/245,670, filed Nov. 6, 2000, entitled “Remote MailboxManagement System and Method,” which is herein incorporated byreference.

[0025] Reference is now made in detail to specific exemplary embodimentsof the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are usedthroughout the description to refer to the same or like parts. Theinvention is described using embodiments involving mail as handled bythe USPS. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, thatthe principles of the present invention apply to any type of shipping ordelivery of objects or items from a sender to a receiver's deliverydestination.

[0026] Systems and methods consistent with the present invention provideusers who receive items at specified delivery destinations, such as PObox customers, with the ability to remotely access information about theitems bound for, or already delivered to, the destination, and theability to act upon the information. For example, a system consistentwith the present invention allows a PO box customer to call a telephonenumber, and by responding to the prompts generated by an interactivevoice response system, learn that his or her PO box currently contains:(1) a first-class letter from General Electric Utilities of Macon, Ga.;(2) two bulk-class catalogs, one from Shopper's Food Warehouse, and onefrom Land's End; (3) and a parcel measuring two by four by six inchesand weighing five ounces from the United States Mint in Philadelphia,Pa. Such a system, for example, may also inform the PO box customer thatone first-class letter, currently located in the Los Angeles Airport, isin route to the customer's PO box from G. Greene of Alameda, Calif.

[0027]FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment consistent with the presentinvention, including an Integrated Data System 140 (IDS), which tracksmail flow within the postal service, a PO box management server 150,which controls a PO box status database 155, and a user interface 157 toPO box management server 150. User interface 157 allows PO box customersto access information in PO box status database 155 using, for example,a telephone 160, or an Internet 170 with a personal computer 175.

[0028] Delivery tracking systems, such as the USPS's Integrated DataSystem 140, use a unique tag, such as a PLANETCODE bar code, to track anitem, such as a mail piece 110, as it travels from a sender, such as autility company 105, to a recipient's delivery destination, such as a PObox in a Local Post Office 130. Each time mail piece 110 passes througha piece of equipment which reads the tag, for example in Regional PostOffice 115, or the tag is manually scanned by an operator, for examplein an Area Post Office 120, the mail piece's location information isupdated in an IDS database 145 maintained by IDS 140. Other examples oftags are POSTNET bar code and National ID tag bar code.

[0029] IDS database 145 may also contain information about mail piece110 in addition to its location. For example, IDS database 145 maycontain information identifying mail piece 110 such as the sender, therecipient, the type (e.g. first class mail, registered mail, prioritymail, parcel, etc.), the size and weight, and the mailing date.Generally, IDS database 145 may contain all the information discernablefrom an outside inspection of mail piece 110. IDS database 145 may alsocontain information regarding the contents of mail piece 110 (e.g., thatan envelope contains a bill), if such information is .provided by thesender, such as utility company 105.

[0030] PO box management server 150 periodically communicates with IDS140. For example, PO box management server 150 may communicate with IDS140 once a day, or more frequently such as once every few minutes orevery time a mail batch is cased. PO box management server 150 mayidentify the PO boxes in Local Post Office 130 to IDS 140. IDS 140 mayprovide information from IDS database 145 for mail pieces, such as mailpiece 110, bound for the identified PO boxes. IDS 140 may also providethe identity of the mail batches that contain the mail pieces.

[0031] Local Post Office 130 may then notify PO box management server150 that the mail batch containing mail piece 110 has been cased (i.e.,the mail pieces in the batch have been put into PO boxes, ready forcustomer pick-up), and PO box management server 150 may update PO boxstatus database 155, indicating that mail piece 110 is currently locatedin its destination PO box. In addition, PO box management server 150 mayalso notify the appropriate PO box customer that mail piece 110 has beenplaced in the customer's PO box. Using user interface 157, PO boxmanagement server 150 may notify a customer via telephone 160, emailover Internet 170 to personal computer 175, fax (not shown), pager (notshown), or any other conventional method of communication.

[0032] Similarly, a PO box customer may access PO box status database155 through user interface 157 and learn all the information associatedwith mail piece 110, including current location, sender, type, physicaldimensions, etc. With this information, a PO box customer mayefficiently plan trips to Local Post Office 130 to pick up the contentsof the PO box, or take other actions regarding mail piece 110, such asdirecting that it be forwarded to a different destination.

[0033] PO box management server 150 comprises a memory, a processor, anda data storage device necessary to run software to carry out thefunctions of PO box management server 150 described above. Likewise IDS140 comprises a memory, a processor, and a data storage device necessaryto run software to carry out the functions of IDS 140 described above.

[0034]FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating a specific interconnection ofvarious USPS information servers in a system consistent with the presentinvention. FIG. 2 shows, in more detail, the item tracking informationflow from mail handling centers to PO box customers via a telephone 220or via a World Wide Web 230 to a personal computer 240. For example, themail handling centers include a Processing and Distribution Center(P&DC) 270, an Area Office (AO) 280, and a Post Office Building 290. AO280 comprises mail processing equipment (MPE) such as a Delivery BarCode Sorting System (DBCSS) 282 and a Carrier Sorting Bar Code System(CSBCS) 284. As mail enters AO 280, information is scanned from mailpieces using DBCSS 282 and CSBCS 284 and entered into a Data CollectionServer (DCS) 286. Information is scanned from the mail pieces from barcodes such as National ID Tag, POSTNET, or PLANETCODE.

[0035] Mail processing equipment in P&DC 270 comprises a DBCSS 272, anOptical Scanning System (OSS) 274, and Flat Mail Carrier System (278).As mail enters P&DC 270, information is scanned from mail pieces usingDBCSS 272, OSS 274, and FMCS 278 and entered into a Data CollectionServer (DCS) 276. DCS 276 and DCS 286 may perform some of the functionsof IDS 140 in FIG. 1. Information from DCS 286 and DCS 276 may beuploaded into District Servers 260, Electronic Post Office (EPO) 250, ora Box Check Database Server 210. Box Check Database Server 210 mayperform some of the functions of PO box management server 150 in FIG. 1.

[0036] The Post Office Building 290 comprises a Site Monitor Unit (SMU)292 having a PC that may interface with BoxCheck Database Server 210.The SMU may be attached to the CTT wand and may upload to the BoxCheckDatabase Server 210 information concerning batches of mail that havebeen cased. PO box customers may use, for example, PC 240, telephone220, or SMU 292 to access information in the Box Check Database Server210. Also, mailers, such as Planet Code Mailers 295, may accessinformation concerning mail pieces through web 230 or EPO 250 to confirmdeliveries, for example. SMU/PC 292 comprises a memory, a processor, anda data storage device necessary to run software to carry out thefunctions of PC 292 described above.

[0037]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary process for updating PO boxstatus database 155 consistent with the present invention. In oneembodiment consistent with this invention, PO box management server 150may identify to IDS 140 a mail piece that will be delivered to a PO Box(step 320). IDS 140 may give PO box management server 150 informationregarding the identified mail piece, and PO box management server 150may store the information (step 330). In addition, IDS 140 may identifyto PO box management server 150 the mail batch that contains the mailpiece (step 340). In step 350, the process waits until a postal employeewands the batch ID tag containing the mail piece, indicating that thepostal employee has cased all the mail pieces in the batch. Once thebatch is cased, PO box management server 150 updates PO box statusdatabase 155 with the information, indicating that the mail piece'slocation is in the destination PO box (step 360).

[0038] In another embodiment consistent with this invention, step 320may be replaced or supplemented with identifying a particular PO box.Thus, as described above, PO box management server 150 identifies to IDS140 a particular PO box. IDS 140 responds to PO box management server150 with the information regarding that identified PO box, such aswhether a mail piece is destined for the particular PO box. In thisembodiment, step 330 may be replaced or supplemented with storing theidentified supplied by IDS 140 in PO box management server 150. Asdescribed above, IDS 140 may also identify to PO box management server150 the mail batch that contains any mail pieces destined to theidentified PO box (step 340). In step 350, the process waits until apostal employee wands the batch ID tag containing any such mail pieces,indicating that the postal employee has cased all the mail pieces in thebatch. Once the batch is cased, PO box management server 150 updates PObox status database 155 with the stored information, indicating that themail piece's location is in the destination PO box (step 360).

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, the operator casingthe mail need only wand a single batch ID tag to notify PO boxmanagement server 150 that mail piece 110 has been placed in a PO Box.As discussed above, IDS 140 may provide the information needed toassociate mail piece 110 with the mail batch that contains it. Whennotified that a mail batch has been cased, PO box management server 150may use the batch contents information to update PO box status database155 to reflect that mail pieces within the batch are currently locatedin their destination PO boxes. Thus, mail piece 110 current locationinformation in PO box status database 155 may be accurate to within afew minutes. Because notification may be done at a batch level requiringonly a single wanding, the extra labor costs associated with the Phase 1system may be avoided.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, a copy of all thetracking and other information contained in IDS database 145 is madeavailable to PO Box customers. From this information, a customeraccessing PO box status database 155 may learn much more than the binarystate of the PO box—whether it contains mail or not. In addition, acustomer may learn what type of mail is in the PO box, who it is from,its size, etc. A customer may also learn the same information aboutitems that are in route to the PO box.

[0041] One embodiment consistent with the present invention allows PObox customers to access information regarding items addressed to theirPO box via Internet 170. FIG. 4, for example, illustrates a PO boxmanagement web-site secure log-in screen consistent with the presentinvention. As shown, a customer identifies his PO box by entering alocal post office zip code 410 and a PO box number 420. To preventunauthorized access, the customer may also enter a password 430. If thecustomer selects a “check your PO box” option 440, PO box managementserver 150 retrieves information for the specified PO Box from PO boxstatus database 155 and displays it to the customer.

[0042]FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary PO box management web-siteinformation screen consistent with this invention. The screen shows whatmail is currently in the customer's PO box 510 by type 515 and number ofpieces 520. If the customer desires more information regarding eachtype, such as who the sender is, the physical size, the mailing date,the contents, etc., he may select an appropriate “More Info” button 525and the additional information is displayed on another screen (notshown).

[0043] The exemplary screen of FIG. 5 also provides informationregarding (1) mail items that must be picked up at the call window 530,(2) mail items in route 535, (3) the last time mail was placed in the PObox 540, and (4) the last time the customer was automatically notifiedvia telephone regarding the status of the PO box 545.

[0044] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practiceof the invention disclosed herein. For example, one skilled in the artwould realize that the principles of the present invention encompassother types of item delivery destinations, such as contracted maildestinations (e.g., Mailboxes Etc.), or a home mailbox, in addition topost office boxes. It is intended that the specification and examples beconsidered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of theinvention being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of managing a database of deliverydestination information, comprising the steps of: identifying an item tobe delivered to a destination; determining a batch of items for deliveryhaving the item to be delivered to the destination; determining when thebatch of items has been delivered; and updating the database to indicatea delivery of the item destined to the destination after determiningwhen the batch of items has been delivered.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising identifying the destination for delivery; andquerying the database for the item to be delivered to the destination.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination for delivery is a postoffice box.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying acustomer associated with the destination; and notifying the customerthat the item was delivered to the destination.
 5. The method of claim4, wherein the step of notifying includes the step of notifying thecustomer by telephone.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step ofnotifying includes the step of notifying the customer by email.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising identifying a customer associatedwith the destination; and configuring the database of deliverydestination information to be accessed by the customer.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising the step of querying the database for acurrent location of the item.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of querying the database includes querying thedatabase for a type of the item.
 10. The method of claim 8, furtherincluding the step of updating the database of delivery destinationinformation of the current location of the item.
 11. A computer-readablemedium containing instructions for controlling a computer system toperform a method of operating a processor, the method comprising thesteps of: identifying an item to be delivered to a destination;determining a batch of items for delivery having the item to bedelivered to the destination; determining when the batch of items hasbeen delivered; and updating the database to indicate a delivery of theitem destined to the destination after determining when the batch ofitems has been delivered.
 12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11,wherein the method further comprises the steps of identifying thedestination for delivery; and querying the database for the item to bedelivered to the destination.
 13. The computer-readable medium of claim11, wherein the destination for delivery is a post office box.
 14. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method furthercomprises identifying a customer associated with the destination;notifying the customer that the item was delivered to the destination.15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the step ofnotifying includes the step of notifying the customer by telephone. 16.The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the step of notifyingincludes the step of notifying the customer by email.
 17. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method furthercomprises identifying a customer associated with the destination;configuring the database of delivery destination information to beaccessed by the customer.
 18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11,wherein the method further comprises the step of querying the databasefor a current location of the item.
 19. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 11, wherein the method further comprises the step of querying thedatabase for a type of the item.
 20. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 18, wherein the method further comprises the step of updating thedatabase of delivery destination information of the current location ofthe item.
 21. An apparatus for managing a database of deliverydestination information, the apparatus comprising: means for identifyingan item to be delivered to a destination; means for determining a batchof items for delivery having the item to be delivered to thedestination; means for determining when the batch of items has beendelivered; and means for updating the database to indicate a delivery ofthe item destined to the destination after determining when the batch ofitems has been delivered.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21, furthercomprising means for identifying the destination for delivery; and meansfor querying the database for the item to be delivered to thedestination.
 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the destination fordelivery is a post office box.
 24. The apparatus of claim 21, furthercomprising means for identifying a customer associated with thedestination; and means for notifying the customer that the item wasdelivered to the destination.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein themeans for notifying includes means for notifying the customer bytelephone.
 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means fornotifying includes means for notifying the customer by email.
 27. Theapparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for identifying acustomer associated with the destination; and means for configuring thedatabase of delivery destination information to be accessed by thecustomer.
 28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means forquerying the database for a current location of the item.
 29. Theapparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for querying thedatabase includes querying the database for a type of the item.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 28, further including means for updating the databaseof delivery destination information of the current location of the item.31. A system comprising: a database of delivery destination information;and a processor configured to identify an item to be delivered to adestination, determine a batch of items for delivery having the item tobe delivered to the destination, determine when the batch of items hasbeen delivered, and updating the database to indicate a delivery of theitem destined to the destination after determining when the batch ofitems has been delivered.
 32. The system of claim 31, wherein theprocessor is further configured to identify the destination fordelivery, and query the database for the item to be delivered to thedestination.
 33. The system of claim 31, wherein the destination fordelivery is a post office box.
 34. The system of claim 31, wherein theprocessor is further configured to identify a customer associated withthe destination, and notify the customer that the item was delivered tothe destination.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor isfurther configured to notify the customer by telephone.
 36. The systemof claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to notify thecustomer by email.
 37. The system of claim 31, wherein the processor isfurther configured to identify a customer associated with thedestination, and configuring the database of delivery destinationinformation to be accessed by the customer.
 38. The system of claim 31,wherein the processor is further configured to query the database for acurrent location of the item.
 39. The system of claim 31, wherein thesystem is further configured to query the database includes querying thedatabase for a type of the item.
 40. The system of claim 38, wherein theprocessor is further configured to update the database of deliverydestination information of the current location of the item.